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The African
Continent went full blast over the weekend as teams on the
content tussled for a place at the World Cup and Nations Cup in
2006.
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Johnny
Menyongar - US -Based |
The Lone
Star of Liberia was in the roll call as well. And as expected,
the crest fallen Liberian National Side was hammered by their
more illustrious Senegalese opponent 6-1 in a virtually one
sided contest in Dakar.
Under the
tutelage of the lowly rated tactician Joseph Sayon alias Kofi
Bruce, the Lone Star with a predominantly home based squad left
for Dakar a day to the match for the huge task of engaging the
star studded Lion Taranga of Senegal.
But, few
hours to the duel it was reported that things went haywire on
the Lone Star camp as professional players who were invited by
the FA threatened to seize the team’s Jersey in demand of the
reimbursement of their flight tickets that were not made
available by sporting authorities.
Earlier, the
National team with only the head coach Kofi Bruce and no deputy
requested for ten foreign based players to augment his
struggling team against the deadly Senegalese side;.
But the
National Government, through the Ministry of Youth and Sports,
made it emphatically clear that there was no money to foot the
expenses of foreign players traveling for the weighty task
against the Group-2 leaders.
However, the
likes of Kelvin Sebwe, George Gebro and Oliver Markor, all based
in Greece, and the pin-sized John Menyongar, based in the United
States of America, claimed they were not informed about the
pronouncement made by the Ministry.
But, thanks
to the Liberian community in Senegal who played a pivotal role
in making the players to abort such an eyebrow raising decision.
For the
match itself, the Lone Star despite parading six foreign based
players looked disjointed as the Senegalese made light weather
of them.
They looked
ordinary in their 4-4-2 formation as the back-four of Sackey
Doe, George Gebro, Shelton Barlee and varmah Kpoto looked
suspicious.
The midfield
quarter of Patrick Gwarun, Anthony Langford, John Menyongar and
Kelvin Sebwe were overran and the front of two dreadlock
players, Bob Zeo and Oliver Markor looked sterile.
With the
latter playing a little deep behind the former, a position which
involves a lot of talking point as Markor was misplaced, he
certainly featured in an unusual position.
Therefore, he
did not contribute much. He is a very resourceful midfielder who
could have tightened the engine room and allowed Kelvin Sebwe to
play a little deep behind the unconvincing Bob Zeo who was
surprisingly preferred to Isaac Tondo the eventual goal scorer.
After
erratic goalkeeping from goalkeeper Lartee Jackson, the Bolton
Wanderers mazy runner Khalilou Fadiga opened the floodgate
through a beautifully orchestrated free kick.
Couple of
minutes later, Bolton Wanderers pugnacious midfielder cum
striker El-Hadji Diouf increased the tally from a spot kick
after the gangling Mamadou Niang was impeded by LPRC Oilers
defender Shelton Barlee thus ending the first 2-0 in the host
favor.
Match
details:
Liberia
Walloped By Senegal Again
Substitute
Isaac Tondo coming in for the gold field reserve player Anthony
Langford scored the Lone Star consolation after he dislodged
three Senegalese defenders.
Coach Kofi
Bruce introduces the morocco based striker Sekou Keita into the
frey, but his presence had no bearing.
Therefore,
the Lone Star sank without trace in the lions den. Surprisingly,
the teenage craftman James Koko Lomell and the sublimely gifted
Abu Sando was left out by Kofi Bruce.
In all
fairness, the Lone Star build-up to the crunch fixture was
unsatisfactory.
As the old
syndrome of “no money” continued, the team played low profile
test matches and the tactical training under achieved manager
Kofi Bruce did not conform to contemporary football.
The Coach
too looked indecisive as his decision or tactical know-how of
the game was highly questionable. John Menyongar made no impact
in the match. But surprisingly he played the full ninety
minutes.
There
was low qualified supply of passes upfront. And, why Oliver
Markor operated as a striker and not a midfielder is still a
question yet to be answered. And so, with the lackadaisical
manner in which the game is being run in the country, the defeat
of Lone Star was no surprise. |
